DA: Chief Nate Harper's company may have violated law

Former Washington County District Attorney Steven Toprani was chosen Monday to head up an independent city review of Pittsburgh Police Bureau policies and procedures regarding officers who also hold jobs outside the police department or own outside businesses.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said Toprani will look at the current policies for police officers who work outside jobs and make recommendations for any reforms that he thinks are needed. The mayor said Toprani's findings will be made available to the public.

"Our goal is to implement clear-cut policies that reform if, how and when officers can conduct other work or business outside of their capacities as officers. We must ensure that the primary focus of every officer is keeping our neighborhoods safe," Ravenstahl said in a written statement.

Ravenstahl decided earlier this month to bring in an outside consultant after the revelation that Police Chief Nate Harper started a private company with some fellow officers, including one who Harper promoted.

"It's very clear to me that we need to reform the policies and procedures of the Police Bureau and we need somebody to come in from outside with expertise to help us do that,” Ravenstahl said on Feb. 8.

The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office has said that Harper's company may have violated state law by promoting itself without getting a private detective's license.

The company is called Diverse Public Safety Consultants. Records show it was incorporated last year. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Harper is one of the partners along with several other officers including Cmdr. Eric Holmes, who was promoted by Harper.

“When you have a police chief who is in business with his subordinates, it's not acceptable,” Ravenstahl said on Feb. 8.

District Attorney Steven Zappala said on Feb. 7 that Harper had not broken any laws -- but at that point, the DA had not seen the company's website, which was recently taken down.

After investigators reviewed the website the next day, spokesman Mike Manko said they saw “activity that would violate the Private Detectives Act, specifically those sections involving the training and placing of personnel.” He said the DA's office will send cease-and-desist letters to all involved with the company.

The mayor said he has spoken to Harper. When he was asked if he told the chief not to do this kind of work, he said, "I didn't. In my mind, I would hope he would be smarter than that."

The Private Detectives Act says you cannot advertise for security business without having a license. Records show Harper's company is not licensed. Even so, the DA's office says Harper and other company officials did not commit criminal violations because the company apparently was not active.

Through a spokesperson, Harper has declined to comment to Channel 4 Action News.